EllowynTinuviel: The point about being a self-proclaimed greatest fan is that I'll never be disappointed. The only disappointment here is when you're not updating. I hope you enjoy the conclusion!

Alafroncha: I would have updated sooner, but I was stuck on some business that Eowyn wanted to have some say in the ending. I compromised by having her telling Faramir what she thought, but I wasn't very happy with the result, and Eowyn was far from satisfied. So, things didn't go as planned. Thank you for the review, it was really nice of you!

Okay, I guess that this goes out to the two people still reading this. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! This chapter was again a little long by accident. I just kept writing, and writing, and writing…

Also, to coffee lovers. I have nothing against coffee. In fact, I like it more than tea. I hope that no one takes Faramir's reactions personally.

Someone To Catch My Tears

Part Twelve: Faramir

It wasn't a dream. It was real. She was really there, and I really had her, if only for a moment. I had once sworn to myself that if I could just have her for a moment then that would be enough. I would be satisfied for the rest of my life. But I found that it wasn't enough. I couldn't let her go now. The previous night had been so strange, but it had ended in a way so indescribably perfect. Our time together wasn't passionate or romantic, we didn't even kiss, but I had her in my arms for a short time, and I was healing her pain. I didn't numb her, like Aragorn did; I cured her. And that was all I ever wanted. To really be with Eowyn and to help her.

But I knew how much I had to get done that day when I woke up, and as reluctant as I was to go, I knew that I had to.

I picked Eowyn up and carried her through the Labyrinth. Maybe someday I'd be able to show her through the Labyrinth. I wanted her to learn the secrets of Gondor, but I wanted to be the one to teach them to her. But, of course, Aragorn didn't know his way through the Labyrinth, and I was the only one who could teach him. At least I had some control over the situation, for Aragorn wouldn't learn until I was ready to teach him. At least he wouldn't show Eowyn through the Labyrinth. Only I could do that.

When I reached the door that lead outside, the door through which I had come last night, I set Eowyn down gently. I opened the door carefully, and peered outside. It wouldn't do to have the men seeing me carrying Eowyn through the city.

Dawn was just breaking. There were already city-folk and sentries outside, but I knew that most people within the citadel would be asleep for now. If I went through the citadel, I should be safe. The only problem was that I didn't know where to take Eowyn. I knew to which room she had been assigned, for I had done so myself, but I didn't know how to get into that room.

I then thought of my mother's keys. She had a key to almost every room in the citadel. There was a passage to my mother's room, though it was complicated and difficult to get through. I would check and see if there was a key on her ring.

Thinking about it, Eowyn should have those keys. Each woman throughout Gondor's history had passed it down to the next woman. None of the men knew about these keys until me. My mother told me about them because she thought that she could trust me not to tell anyone until there was a new stewardess. Then she knew that I would see to the fact that the new stewardess got the keys. But now that we had a Queen, I knew that she was the one who should have these keys.

I picked Eowyn up again and carefully picked my way through the passages and corridors. I focused on remembering the right way, but I also focused on hurrying. I had to ensure that Eowyn was in her room by the time the maids came in.

Finally, we reached my mother's room. Eowyn had not stirred a bit since I had woken up that morning. I set her down on my mother's bed, and rummaged through the top drawer of the dresser opposite of the bed. The late stewardess's room had not been touched since she had died, except when either my father or I came in here. I knew he came in here when he was feeling weak and tired. It was then when I avoided him the most. My father was a proud man and would not want his son seeing him in such distress.

But I came in here myself. Boromir told me that it was unhealthy, but I did it anyway. After Boromir died, I went to his room to. I had yet, however, to go to my father's room. I was too frightened of what ghosts my still haunt that desk where he always sat. I had never seen him not working. Well, perhaps I had, but I don't remember it. I was only five when my mother died. People told me that my father was much happier and free-spirited before. But after her death, he became as cold as her monument that stood in the city to remind people of her greatness. My father had always terrified me, though I knew that I deserved everything that he said. My father does not lie. He truly believed every word. He believed that I truly deserved everything that he ever did to me. And I knew, deep down, that I did. I didn't want to admit it. I wanted to think like Boromir, that my father was crazy, and I had suffered far more than was necessary. That I was a wonderful person and I shouldn't listen to what the steward said, but I knew that it was not true. I knew that I was as pathetic and worthless as he had ever said.

I found her keys, and searched the ring for one that might let me into Eowyn's room. I finally found one that opened all the doors on that corridor. I was about to pull it off of the ring in order to use it, but then I remembered that I ought to give these keys to Eowyn. So I took the whole ring.

Picking up Eowyn again, I let myself out of my mother's room, closing the door and hearing the lock click in place, I took off again towards Eowyn's rooms. I knew that the later it got the more chance there was of my being caught.

I had almost made it before I ran into the elf, Legolas. I realized when I saw him how disheveled I must have looked. He was as tidy as ever, if not more so, and I felt mortified in his presence over my own appearance.

To make matters worse, he looked me up and down, taking in Eowyn in my arms, the keys in my hand, and the fact that we both looked as though we had slept on a dusty floor, which of course we had.

"Good day, Legolas."

"Good day, Faramir." He was still examining me, trying to put the pieces together as to what had happened and how he felt about it.

"Do you mind my passing you, I have much of which I must take care," I said, as he was blocking my path.

"Oh, no, go ahead. In fact, I was headed that way myself; I will join you."

I became terrified. "Didn't…weren't…weren't you headed towards me when we met up?"

"Was I? Why yes, you're right. I get so turned around here. I cannot in the least remember how to get to the mess hall."

I knew that he was lying, and that he had not been planning on going to the mess hall, and that he had just changed his direction in order to continue walking with me, but there was no way that I could call him on it. Damned elf.

We walked in silence, though I knew that Legolas was watching me carefully. He was certainly beginning to pick up on what had taken place.

"Where did you come from when we came across one another?" he asked finally.

"Whatever do you mean? I had been walking down that corridor when we came across one another."

"And before that?"

"I was in another corridor."

"And before that?"

"My mother's room."

"Bedchamber?"

"Yes."

"How often do people go in there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do the servants go in there frequently, or did your father command that they leave the room in peace?"

"The latter."

He nodded. So he thought that Eowyn and I had gone to my mother's room and slept. I knew it sounded wrong, but I also knew that what we had done was not so different. I felt awful now. But I also didn't feel in the least regretful. So I had gone against correct protocol. At least I had done so with Eowyn. I hadn't done anything. I hadn't violated her honor or my own. I had merely spent the night aiding a troubled person. I frankly couldn't care less about the consequences.

However, just because I couldn't care less didn't mean that I wanted there to be consequences.

When we reached Eowyn's room, the nicest of all the guest rooms; I had seen to that myself, I excused myself. "I'm sorry, I have some business in this room to take charge of. Perhaps I shall see you later today."

He nodded politely, and I used the key in my hand to let myself into Eowyn's room. Fortunately, I had made it that entire time without being asked what Eowyn was doing, asleep in my arms. Of course, Legolas had some speculations, but I hadn't had to answer any of them.

I lay Eowyn down on the bed, after removing her shoes and cloak, and covered her well with the bedspread. I also removed her jewelry and set it on the little table beside her bed. I didn't dare do aught else to make her comfortable, as what we had already done was rather inappropriate according to Gondor's etiquette. Perhaps in Rohan women were allowed to sleep with other men than their fiancés, even if nothing had happened, but in Gondor for two people of opposite genders, particularly if one of them was engaged or married, to sleep together was a close to crime. Actually, if one or both were married, it was a crime punishable by exile. I wasn't sure about what the punishment was if one of them was merely engaged. Perhaps, I thought, I should find out.

This is crazy, I thought, as I let myself out of Eowyn's room. I'm not going to look up what my punishment should be if I were caught. Of course, I had been caught, but I didn't think that Legolas would say anything, even to Gimli or Aragorn, who were the only people to whom he spoke for the most part. The elf was fairly aloof for the most part, though I had watched him while he was drunk or in a particularly good mood and he could also be quite amiable too.

I was about to head down the hall when I realized that I had forgotten to give Eowyn the keys to the citadel. I turned around and let myself back into her room.

I left a note on top of them saying what they were—I decided at the last minute not to sign for some reason, even though I knew that she'd know who I was—and I set them down next to the headdress and necklace.

It had been kind of Rigloriwen to give these things to Eowyn. I knew that she was one of the nicest people here along with her sister Iavas and their friend Uregien. The necklace had originally been made for the girls' mother, and she had passed it down to Iavas. It had always been very meaningful to her, and I knew that she had sacrificed it for Eowyn. Rigloriwen's headdress had also been a sacrifice, as it had once belonged to their other sister, Laira, who had always been precious to Rigloriwen. The two of them had been closer than any other sisters I had ever seen. Iavas was always second to Rigloriwen. Unfortunately, Laira had died when she was but sixteen from a plague.

I closed my eyes, again thinking upon all who had been lost. But so much had been gained too, this I knew.

But I doubted again as I made my way to the door for the second time. What had been gained? Gondor had gained peace, a King, a Queen. Hopefully she would continue to gain. Eowyn had gained a good husband, a place where she could belong and live out of fear, and a cage. I knew that I shouldn't think like that, but I knew that it was true. Aragorn had gained a devoted wife who would not leave him for anything it appeared, even true love; his destiny fulfilled; and a lie that would ruin him. The Elf Lady Arwen had gained freedom to do as she wished for once, instead of waiting around for Aragorn; and perhaps even love. Who knew? I had gained nothing. I didn't see how it could work out this way. Arwen had done what was best for her, as it was clear since she had gained good things for the most part, but it appeared that everyone else had made a mistake. Where had we gone wrong? Was it that Eowyn was not to be married to Aragorn, and instead she should marry me? But then what would Aragorn have gained? Would he not then be in the same predicament in which I found myself now? Surely!

As I closed the door to Eowyn's room, after making sure that it would lock correctly after me, I turned around only to be face to face with one of the object of my thoughts.

"Faramir? Is this where you live? I had thought that the steward of the realm would not be in the guest quarters, but rather in the Steward's wing," Aragorn said.

"Erm…Actually, Sire, I have yet to take up the Steward's chambers. I have not had an opportunity to do such." I hadn't lied to him, I had just not answered the question about where I did live at the moment.

"Do you mind me asking why?"

I became very uncomfortable. "I believe I just told you. I have not had an opportunity." This was not true. I could not bring myself to tell him the truth though. The truth was that I couldn't bear to go into those rooms after what I had suffered. As I mentioned before, I could not go in there out of fear. The memory of my father there, never pleased by what I had done, trying to teach me lesson after lesson. My entire body would ach with memory. I would remember the words he said. I would remember everything else that he had done. I would remember everything.

More than all of that, I would remember that I had deserved it. All of the pain, my heart aching, my body aching…

"Faramir?"

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking about my father. I wished that I could talk to him one last time…"

Aragorn nodded. "My father died when I was young. I was only two. My mother also died long ago, but I still grieve over her. Anytime that I find myself near her grave I go there. Every other time I wish that I could go there."

I nodded. "Then we both know how each other feels, for I too, grieve the death of my mother."

"Finduilas was a wonderful woman."

I looked up, my wonder showing through my eyes. "You knew her?"

He nodded. "She was like a sister to me. I had grown up with many brothers, not only my foster brothers but the many elves that befriended me despite my differences. But I never had a sister. I served here under your grandfather for a time, and I grew close to the family, most especially your father's wife. She was a kind lady with a big heart, much larger than I think that most people gave her credit for. Your father was jea…" He faltered, not wanted to insult my father in front of me.

"Go ahead and say it. I know that my father has faults. You needn't fear speaking freely about him in my presence, though you must understand that I might stand up for him if I think that what you have said is unfair. I will not shun your comments. I only warn you that it is not kind to speak ill of the dead. However, in this case, you have already nearly said it, so go ahead. You were telling my that my father was jealous."

Aragorn appeared startled, and I noticed something coming into his eye. It was not hard to read what he was thinking, as his guard was surprisingly low. He was thinking that I was going to come in between himself and something that he loved. I didn't know what this could mean, unless he was possibly thinking that I would come between him and Eowyn. I decided that now would be a good time to get as far away from Eowyn's room as possible, so I began walking, knowing from past experiences that Aragorn would follow me.

"What were you thinking, milord?"

"I was just thinking how different Eowyn is now."

I was surprised at this, as I knew that he was thinking about me but a moment before. Surely he did not know that I loved her?

"Milord, I know not how she has changed. What do you mean?"

"Faramir, I would like to ask you to cease this formality. We may not know each other well, but we will need to get to know each other sooner or later, as we will be working together. I believe that the best way to become friends is to drop the formality right away. No one calls their friends 'Milord,' and 'Sire.' Why don't you come and take breakfast in my office? We'll talk there." He smiled kindly at me.

"As you wish, S…Aragorn."

I could tell that he was wrestling with himself, but I did not know what the problem was. I focused on what he seemed to be thinking, and I realized that he didn't really want to befriend me. He would rather stay at a distance from me. He wanted to separate himself and those whom he loved from me forever. I knew that if I did not change his mind soon, I would be separated from Eowyn forever.

However, perhaps that was not a bad thing.

I followed Aragorn into his study, dwelling on my own sorrows. I noticed in the back of my mind how quickly everyone seemed to be adapting to these new lives. How was it so easy for Aragorn to settle into his new office after such a short time? I couldn't even go to my own father's bedroom still!

Aragorn smiled at me as he poured some tea. I wondered what kind it was, but I didn't focus on the thought hard enough to actually get it out.

He handed me the cup, and I did not even look at the contents. He sipped his own cup and asked, "What's bothering you, Faramir? You seem troubled."

I decided to take a sip from my tea before I answered, to give me a chance to recover my thoughts and find an appropriate thing to say. After all, it would hardly do to say, "oh, yes, I was just thinking about how in love I am with your betrothed. I hope you don't mind, but I think that she loves me back, and I'm hoping fervently that she breaks off her engagement to you before we all are doomed to a life of utter despair."

I gagged as the bitter taste rushed through my mouth. What sort of awful tea was this? It hardly tasted like tea.

"Faramir, are you all right?" Aragorn asked me.

I just choked in response.

"Have you never had coffee before? It's a specialty of the Haradrim. They just sent us some as a sign of peace. It's quite good, don't you think?"

I didn't bother to tell him what I thought of the coffee, I just looked pointedly at him.

"Ah, I see you don't like it. Well, you'll get used to it eventually."

"Don't you have any tea here?"

"I could ask for some, if you would like," he responded.

I wasn't sure how I liked this, as everyone had always been served tea before. I was quite happy with my tea, and I didn't like the idea that perhaps we would begin drinking this vile coffee drink. Of course it came from Harad. Nowhere else would be foolish enough to grow such a plant!

"You could add sugar to it, to sweeten it, if you'd like. Or milk, perhaps?"

I didn't bother telling him how much I disliked sugar, and that I never ate it if I could help it. Besides the honey that I used on occasion, I didn't attempt to sweeten any of my food or drink.

"Or not," he said, after I didn't respond. "Anyway, what is wrong? You are clearly not happy."

I thought for a moment about my answer, and then said simply, "I am very tired from last night, that's all. I had some stress during the party, and I really should have gone to bed early, but I didn't."

He nodded, understanding. He probably felt the same way. We sat for a short time, drinking our coffee—actually, he was drinking the coffee, I was just pretending to—in silence. Suddenly, he asked me "Aren't you wearing the same tunic that you wore last night, for the celebration? And why are you so dusty? I hope that you don't mind me asking. I know that the question wasn't very diplomatic of me, but I wanted to know."

So he had noticed. I wondered briefly how I was going to get out of answering this question, as there was no point in lying. "I…er…yes, this is the same tunic."

"And?"

"And what, Sire?"

The word did what I wanted it to. Aragorn became distracted by my over-formality. My brother always told me that I was too diplomatic for my own good. I could attain any end to any situation that I pleased, just by using my words. I had asked him sarcastically why I hadn't been sent to negotiate with Sauron, if I was so talented with my words, and he had told me that it was simply that father had not recognized my true value, and even if he had it would be too dangerous. I always assumed that he was lying, but I had always harbored the secret hope that maybe he was right. Maybe, just maybe.

"Faramir, I have asked you not to call me that, how many times must I ask you?"

"I'm sorry, Si…Aragorn, it is a hard habit to break." Lie. I could adapt myself to most verbal situations with complete ease. I didn't feel comfortable calling him by his name, but I didn't fail to do so because of a habit.

"Faramir, you've hardly had an opportunity for the habit to begin! How do you mean that you can't break the habit?"

"I don't customarily forget a person's station and call the person by their first name, 'tis all I meant."

Aragorn seemed exasperated, but almost willing to let the issue go, so I said to him, "I'm sorry Si…Aragorn. I have a lot of work to do. Thank you for the coffee."

He nodded and took the cup from me. I left quickly before he could comment on the still full cup.

I hurried to my room and washed and changed in order to avoid further embarrassment about my clothes. With any luck, everyone would forget about the entire incident, and everything would go as they were supposed to. I was now beginning to rather hope that I would be sent to Ithilien, so that I wouldn't have to live any longer under such stress. Aragorn couldn't stand me, that much I knew, and Eowyn was in love with me. I didn't think that I could handle knowing that this love was mutual and still see her married to Aragorn. I had decided that the absolutely best way to avoid everything was to ensure that I was dispatched to Ithilien as quickly—and for as long—as possible.

I then walked more sedately back to my own study, the same one that I had occupied for years. I lay my head on the desk to rest my brain for a second. I didn't know how much more of this I could take. I decided to devise a plan immediately to send myself off. I started looking through the papers on my desk, trying to come up with a strategy. There were many things needed in the forest, but none would keep me away for very long.

A servant came into my office an hour later, bearing a tray with two pots on it. "Milord, would you like tea or coffee?"

I sighed in exasperation at this new drink that Aragorn had so quickly incorporated into this house. I most assuredly had to escape.

"Tea, please."

I stayed in my study working—though I had the thought of being sent off in the back of my head for the entire time—until late afternoon. I had skipped lunch, but this was not out of the ordinary for me. I was surprised when I was summoned to Aragorn's office, telling me that we had to talk about some issues. I knew that there were several papers here that we would need to talk about, but I didn't expect to have to talk so soon. I hadn't thought that he would have even started getting to so many papers, seeing all the other things that he had to do.

I gathered up half of the papers that I knew we would have to discuss, as there were so many and I didn't honestly think that he could have even gotten through half of them yet. I had always been an efficient worker, and I knew that I would have gotten through much more than he had.

I knocked on his door, and heard a muffled, "come in!"

"I assume that you wished to talk about these papers?" I said, gesturing to the said papers.

He nodded, smiling. "Thank you Faramir. I've gotten through only a small amount, but I found that I really needed to talk to you about them immediately."

I found that he had managed to get through much more than I had expected, but still not even half way through, as I had predicted. He was drinking that dreadful coffee again, and I was relieved that he did not even make me decline. He knew by now that I wouldn't like it, I suppose.

We worked for several hours, before an idea came to me. I would make sure that I was sent to Ithilien to oversee the rebuilding of Minas Ithil. I had always wanted to play a hand in returning it to Gondor. Everyone had always assumed that returning it to Gondor had meant reclaiming it, but I meant making it part of Gondor. I wanted to make it as fair a city as Minas Anor, just as the moon was as fair as the sun.

I also wanted to redo Emyn Arnen, a city overrun with grief for being so near Mordor. I wanted to make all of Ithilien bright and fair again, and never see a tear shed there again except that of the rain clouds.

I did not mention this right away, however. I wanted to wait for the right time. Before I could say anything, however, I heard the door open behind me. I continued examining the treaty with the Haradrim, one of the most immediate documents that we had to deal with, as Aragorn looked over my head at the person behind me.

"Milady…" he breathed, and I heard footsteps behind me as the woman entered the room. As she came up behind me, I turned, and was shocked to see Eowyn there. I wasn't particularly surprised to see Eowyn, as it was entirely natural that a woman should want to visit her fiancé, but to see Eowyn ash she was, tears running freely down her face…

She was dressed in a fine gown, and she had a crown in her hand. I was aware that the seamstresses had wanted to try Eowyn's coronation clothes on today, and make whatever final adjustments had to be made. It had caused a great problem, her being in the Houses of Healing until just last night, but the Warden had refused to release her until absolutely necessary.

She threw the crown on the ground and cried, "I cannot do it Aragorn. Neither of us can. We both know that we don't love each other, so why are we doing this? I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I'm abandoning you like Arwen did. That's why I haven't done this before. Because I thought the same thing. But someone else taught me differently…" (here Aragorn looked me directly in the face, and I wondered why he suspected me as I tried my best to look innocent) "and I realize now that I'm not doing the same thing. You don't love me Aragorn, and I'm not going to be dragged down by a loveless marriage. You don't want to be dragged down by such a marriage either, do you? You turned to me because there was nobody else. We both thought that maybe that's what love was supposed to be, when two people can be there for each other when nobody else can. But that's not true. You should want to spend time with me. If you truly loved me, you would want to be with me no matter what the occasion. And if I truly loved you, then I would want the same thing. But that's not the case, and we both know it. I was upset yesterday because of the way you treated me. Did I want to talk to you? No. If I had, things would have been different. But I'm sorry, I know now that I don't love you, and that you don't love me. We both know deep down how true this is. Don't make this harder than you have to, please Aragorn."

We were both stunned by such a speech. I looked for some sort of reaction on his face, but he didn't seem to have one. But slowly, after the shock wore off, I saw pain. He was hurt by what she had said. But deep in his heart, where few others could see, I saw relief. Mountains of it. He did not regret her breaking off the engagement at all. I don't think that even he realized this, but I think that deep down he knew that he had just escaped something horrible, just like we all did. He knew that he would manage now to find true love, one that wouldn't need to desert him. He would find someone who could follow him on those wild adventures of his, for I was sure that Aragorn's ranger days were not over, even though he was now king. Even if he never went into the wilds again, his adventurous mind would be a force to exasperate any woman or man. But he would find somebody to make him happy, because he knew, deep down, of course, not on the surface, that Eowyn was not the one for him. He knew that he did not enjoy her company like I did. He knew this, and he was glad that he didn't have to worry about it any more.

But this was all deep down. On the surface, he still believed that he loved Eowyn. "No, that's not true…I do love you. You cannot do this to me…"

She grabbed his hand and shoved something into it. "Do you still love me, Aragorn? Can you bear to look at that thing? It's painful isn't it? Do you remember how she kissed you? Do you remember how I kissed you? They were so different, weren't they? Don't you recognize what that difference was?" He stared at the pendant that she had thrust into his hand, his mouth agape and his eyes wide in horror. She raised her head, satisfied, and left the room. Aragorn looked at me.

"Do you have any idea what that was all about?" he asked me.

"No, milord, but if you will excuse me, I must speak with someone immediately," I said. I had to get to her…

I hurried out of the room, hoping that she would still be there. I spotted her further down the hall. She was walking swiftly, but hesitating with each step as though she hoped that someone would follow. Did she want me to follow, or was it someone else?

I hurried after her, careful to mute my footsteps. I had never been a heavy walker, and when I became a ranger I had ceased to make hardly any noise even when I was not paying attention. When I was conscious of my footfall, I was even quieter. Few would ever pick up on my steps.

I finally caught up to her as she entered one of the most beautiful of all of Minas Tirith's gardens. It was also the most special. It was the one thing that I loved about my own study: that it looked over these gardens. My father's study did too, but my brother's did not. His was assuredly the nicest study in the entire citadel, besides the one reserved for the king, but I didn't mind. It was one of the few times that I was happy that my father thought me lesser than Boromir. For my study was the one that overlooked my mother's gardens.

I watched as Eowyn caught her breath, staring at the lovely flowers that my mother had planted. I remembered running here, as a little boy. My brother had been chasing me, and my mother was sitting on that little stone bench that sat next to Eowyn at this moment. I remembered looking up at my father's office, and seeing him in there. I waved energetically at him, and he waved back, laughing as Boromir finally grabbed me and picked me up, swinging me around. For a nine-year-old, my brother had been surprisingly strong. He had managed to lift my father's sword, one of the heaviest in the citadel, by the time he was only eleven.

But it wasn't long after that when my mother stopped coming out to the garden. She became tired all of the time, and she began to waste away. She started looking out east, instead of west, where her home lay. And as she died, so did her flowers.

When she went to the Halls of Mandos, my father gave up all hope. He came upon me one time, tending Mother's flowers, and yelled at me to never enter this garden again. The flowers began to die again. I was sad, and wished that I could go to wherever Mother was. I knew that she wouldn't be living in a place where people were denied the right to garden because someone's wife had died. I stopped eating and sleeping. Being only six at the time, I didn't realize exactly what was happening to me. All I knew was that my mother had become so weak that she couldn't even stand just before she was taken from me, and I was slowly reaching that point myself. Boromir was visiting our uncle at the time, and my father was too busy to even notice. When Boromir returned, he scolded me for being so negligent of my health, and ensured that I was eating and sleeping again. But I wasn't happy until my brother procured permission for me to care for my mother's flowers again. It became a great joy of mine. I had a short list of things that I was happy doing. Sleeping, reading, writing poetry, spending time with my brother, gardening, and day-dreaming. My father was unhappy with this list, and showed it at every opportunity that he had when Boromir wasn't there to stop him.

I shook my head to clear it of memories that were getting increasingly worse. It was now time to deal with what was at hand, not what had passed and was gone forever now.

"Eowyn, what led you to break off your engagement to Aragorn?" I asked softly. I really didn't want to interrupt her thoughts, but I had to know.

She turned to me, smiling. "I didn't think that you had followed me. I knew that you would, but I never heard you."

"But you knew I would, why did you doubt that I was here?"

She just smiled at me and approached me. I led her over to the stone bench, and again remembered my mother sitting here. I imagined sitting here with Eowyn, like my father had done so many times with my mother, and watching a little boy running through the gardens.

"What led me to that decision? You, of course."

"Me?"

"Yes, I was thinking about you all morning. I was thinking about how you came and took care of me, and how I didn't want anyone else to take care of me. I was thinking about some of the things that I thought last night. I had been thinking about how you were like a brother to me, but then I realized how much more you were to me. I realized that all of those thoughts that I had had of you being like a brother also applied to Aragorn. It was the other things that you were that didn't apply. I thought of everything that you've done for me, and I knew that there was no way that I could go through with this."

"You've done some spectacular things for me."

"Like what?" She asked, smiled up at me.

"Like making my life worth living. Everything that I cared about was gone, and I never got a chance to say goodbye to any of them. My mother died in the night. She had suddenly started getting better that day, so I didn't think anything of her death that night when I left her side. Suddenly, I was being shaken awake by my brother, and he told me that she was gone forever. Then, my brother promised me, no matter what, that he would survive the journey. He forbade me to think any negative thoughts. 'No what-ifs.' He said. He I didn't get to say a final goodbye to him either. He was too confident in his return. And then, my father…the one person that I ever wanted to please, when I learned that he was gone too…"

"Hush, they all know that you love them, and they all love you in return."

"But Eowyn, don't you see, it should have been me each of those times." I said the words before I could stop myself. I didn't mean to, but I said them. I remembered when I had said a similar thing to my father about my brother, and he had confirmed it. My father had told me that I should have died rather than Boromir, and I knew that if Eowyn didn't say the same that she would be lying.

"Now, that's not true. You should have died instead of all of them? Why do you say that?"

"Because they were all worth something, and I was not," I responded quietly.

"Wait one second, are you saying that I have such poor judgment that I cannot tell who is worth something and who is not? I will remind you that it was you, not your mother, father, or brother, whom I fell in love with."

I chuckled at the thought of Eowyn loving…well, any of them, but particularly my father. I put my arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear, "thank you."

"For what?" she asked.

"I thought I already told you. For making my life worth something."

"Your life was worth everything from the day you were born," she whispered back.

I smiled at her. "I don't know how you know that, or why you say it, but thank you."

"Oh, I'm not just saying things, I know. Your mother told me."

"What!" I nearly jumped off of the bench with shock.

"I saw your mother last night, Faramir. That's the reason I screamed. I was so startled. She was a beautiful woman."

I remembered that image of her sitting on the bench, much like Eowyn was sitting now. "Yes, she was."

"She came to me so that we could be together. She wanted you to be happy, because you were worth it to her."

I smiled at her. "Maybe you're right.

"I am right."

I kissed her.